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WORTHLESS

WORTHLESS

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Participant 22

He laid beside meStiffed to his left kneeHe looked wretched and allToo much to drink, too much alcoholI wondered how possible that wasKnowing how energetic of a man he wasI resolved to think 'may be it was payback'For having a heart two size too small;Memories played back.

Three female children out of his loinsHe'd have sworn they came not from his groinsHe'd prefer impotency than call us his'Boys can do better - much more than these'He'd rub the word 'worthless' on our facesLike mops pressed on surfaces.We were vulnerable, feeble evenBecause we were girls.

Mum thrived hard regardlessHer efforts despised She swore to prove him wrong'Like boys, girls are just as strong'She'd toil day, nightLike a bow fiddling an Irish reelWhile 'the man', a poltroonGulps another liquorAnd staggers his way back home

The newspaper read; 'MAN Owns Multi-dollar Business', 'MAN Buys Fancy Car'He flips another pageSad, like a grizzly robbed of her cubs,Filled with rage"Oh, if only I had sons";He'd sing plainful ballads, 1 or 2Funny how he forgets he was 'MAN' too

"Our bad, for being girlsOnly a mishap from birthYour Y, too 'strong' It could only form an X"We took the blamemay be he'd worry lessBut nothing changedOh, how he loathed us!

This fueled our will to diligenceLike smoke fanned into flamesUntil we were educated and successfulWith no ounce of help from our father

Today, reality's air blew across his faceShocked to the bones he wasOn seeing Dr. Me examine himHe needed my help now to surviveHe blinked back a tearAs regrets flashed through his eyesI'd only be him if I remained resentfulHe needs to live to see that Like boys, girls are just as perfect!